Family Matters
by IllusionOfAghony
Summary: You know those days when you wish you could change those you call family? Well Seto knows exactly how you feel when he meets an absent member who happens to be....
1. Chapter 1

**Again I don't own nor am I affilated with the writes, creators or artists of Yu-Gi-Oh! And gain no profit from this or any other fanfiction.**

**Family Matters:** Chapter One: Illegitimate

It had started out as a normal week, a normal week of harassing Mokuba out of bed and the same struggle to get the teen ready for school. The same cup with the same flavoured coffee and two pieces of white, crustless toast with butter. The same boring root into the city of Domino to the same, dull buildings of Domino Junior High, where Mokuba went and then to the equally dull and strangely painful buildings of Domino High where he went.

The same subjects with teachers that would be lucky if they had half of his IQ and roughly the same arguments with the mutt and the friendship, geek squad.

The same 'if you'd give us a chance we'd be your friends' speech that drove him bonkers and then the ride to pick up Mokuba and then to the overly tall and ostentatious Kaiba Corporation building with all its class wall.

It ended being the most baize week Kaiba had in his whole life to date.

And that said something.

It all went south on the Thursday when an unexpected and rather unwanted guest came to his office and said the strangest thing the billionaire had ever heard.

**-- **

"So you claim that I, Kaiba Seto am your child," the teen CEO drawled his cold blue eyes narrowing on the greying brunette across from him. The man, if he'd lost a few pounds and cut off the fights, would be highly attractive, even now he was, though he held the allure of a man who rode his women hard and fast and with an iron fist. Literally. He screamed abuser, and abusers was one thing the younger man new well and tried hard to stay away from.

The mans brown eyes were hard as iron and as friendly as a wounded bear…fresh from hibernation, his nose had obviously been broken serval times and a long scar cut threw his left eyebrow. His lips thin and stern though they tilted up in an obscene smile that promised pain, his jaw strong though more angular than most. His shoulders broad and heavy with muscle though the slight bulge in the lower area of his shirt shouted excess drinking and bad diet.

He was tall, tall in a way few were, hitting close to six foot four, maybe five.

"Yes, didn't you ever notice boy, that your mamma and your pap both had that dark dark hair like your kid brother, Mokuba?" the man sneered and his eyes narrowed further, this man was putting him on edge.

"…I can't say I did, I was but a child when they both passed," he replied, he'd seen and still owned many photos of his and Mokuba's parents, a stunning couple with dark hair and blue and grey eyes. Their mother a delicate woman, the, in Seto's opinion, epitome of femineity, with long black hair, her eyes as blue as his own, a stunningly curvy body.

Their father a moderately tall man of about five foot twelve, though he looked closer to six feet, with medium length black hair and eyes that rare shade of grey like silver that appeared to move, he remembered wishing that he had his fathers eyes as a boy.

"Hmm, pity," the man said though his tone was mocking as he leaned back in a way Seto had only seen one other person manage, "I remember them well, you see, I'd nocked your mamma up, oh she never told me, to my face that is. No she called from a pay phone, telling me we were to have a baby, she was about a month along when I found out and about two months when your pap met the wench. Hmm, she was working as a waitress then, her pregnancy already showing, though not all that much, not noticeably so anyway. Just a little thickening, a little filling out."

The man's smile widened at the further narrowing of his eyes and continued, despite the warning in the other mans eyes, "Your pap, or should I say your brothers' pap flirted with her for weeks, coming in only when he _knew_ she'd be in. I only knew this because I overheard another waitress tell your mamma, giggling, stupid girl. So your mamma being the 'good' girl she was walked up to him, two seats down from me, and said 'Look sir, I'm real sorry but I'm pregnant.' He'd smiled his eyes lighting up and he reached up as if to touch your mamma," he said his own eyes narrowing, his next words in a different voice. A smooth, drawl, a voice he Seto remembered reading bed time stories, and yet some how the man opposite him filled that voice with love and a venom that would have burned, "I love kids, I hope the baby has your eyes,' and he touched her. Oh she fell in that instant and not two months later there in the paper was their hurried wedding," his voice back it its normal depth and gutturalness.

"And I should believe you why?" Seto asked an eyebrow raised.

"Yes, you should, but you're a suspicious little brat so how 'bout a DNA test, huh," the man snickered and, "Yes. That should surfies and prove that you Mr Wheeler are delirious and in need of medical help," the CEO sneered before picking up the phone, effectively cutting off his visitors rebuttal.

--

And the down spiral continued two days later, when in the doctors office the pair sat one with laughter in his eyes the other with horror at the news they'd just received.

A ninety-five percent probability that he Kaiba Seto was the illegitimate son of an alcoholic, no good street fighter, with two more siblings, both younger than himself.

Wheeler Joey and Serenity his half siblings.

Legitimate younger siblings.

"Are you positive that you machine didn't miss read or interpret incorrectly?" He demanded and the doctor gave him a pitying look as she shook her head, "There is only a small, and I'm talking so tiny it is really dismissed, chance of a miss read."

"How small?" he chocked out.

Sighing she placed the folder on her desk and said, "A point-zero-zero-zero-zero-one percent chance, that's one in every ten million Mr Kaiba."

The boy nodded stood, murmured his thanks, shook her hand with his slightly trembling one before he left and his…father stood chucked her a cruel smirk before heading after him.

"This isn't possible," Seto said to himself as he slid into the limo and Mr Wheeler jumped on his motor bike shouting out, "I'll tell Joey the good news, he always wanted a big brother," and laughed when the blood further drained from the teens face.

The ride home was a blur as he sat back and stared at nothing in shock, how was he going to explain this to Mokuba? Would this cause the government social workers to take Mokuba away? Would he be forced to go into the care of his biological parent, one he didn't know and currently didn't care for?

Shaking the thoughts away he opened the door the moment he was home and headed straight for his little brothers main hang out, the game room where the sound of the TV was on nearly full blast.

"Mokuba!" he shouted entering yet knew he had gone unheard by the dark haired child he loved dearly. Sighing as his eyebrow twitched he moved over to the boy and jerked the controller out of his small hand turning off the sound completely growling, "If you always have it that loud you'll end up with industrial deafness."

"Huh? Seto where did you come from big brother?" the child asked and Seto sighed and shook his head, murmuring, "I need to tell you something."

His words froze his little brother, who blinked wordlessly waiting for Seto to speak, what ever it was that Seto had to tell him was serious and he had noticed the signs of stress that had slowly wound tighter since later Thursday.

"Mokuba…" he began wonder briefly weather he should be as blunt as normal or tell his little brother delicately, then decided since delicacy wasn't something he was good at he would just come right out and say it.

"Mokuba, I'm your half brother and I…we have to other siblings, a brother and a sister," he said and Mokuba waited for a second then grinned, "Cool, who? When do we get to meet them? Is it mom or dad that you're not related too?"

Though truth be told if it turned out that he and Seto had no real relation except for the one they forged over the years he wouldn't care. Seto was Seto and he would always be his big brother.

Seto grimaced then spoke, "I don't have the same father. And our 'new' siblings are…

TBC 


	2. Chapter 2

**Again I don't own nor am I affilated with the writes, creators or artists of Yu-Gi-Oh! And gain no profit from this or any other fanfiction.**

**Family Matters:** Chapter Two: Truth Revealed.

Just when he thought his life couldn't get worse it did. First; only that morning he'd woken with more bruises and sore from his beating the night before.

Second; there was a letter on the table about his failing grades then no food in the fridge, only old, off milk and beer and a piece of cheese that had gone green and looked alive. His father had promptly growled at him to get out and then grabbed him by the hair and tossed him from the apartment, cracking the back of his head into the unforgiving wall in the complex hall. His cloths tossed at him he'd been locked out and had had to ask Mrs Beaverly if he could use her bathroom…for the third time that week. Crazy old coot that had to have close to eighty cats and thick, coke bottle glasses that covered crossed eyes.

And now this, there he was safe at the Game Shop surrounded by his friends and there his bastard of a father was, riding up on his overly loud motorbike and walking in like he owned the place with the sickest of smirks on his face. A small part of him shied away, retreating into the safety of his soul, his face going still even as his heart stuttered. That smile only meant pain and then Yugi spoke in his normally cheerful voice, "Welcome to the Turtle Game Shop, are you browsing or looking for something in particular?" Only the smallest hint of worry and trepidation in his voice as he gave the store party line.

Those cold brown eyes flickered over his best-friend and his heart stoped when his sire spoke, "Just need to tell me son something, Joey," his voice sending a shiver of terror through Joeys body.

"Yeah dad?" he asked looking up at the tall man, strangely Kaiba reminded him of his dad at times, which was odd.

"I found out som'en real important ta'day," the man said crossing his hands over his broad chest,

"Yeah?"

"Mmm, humm, seems you and Ren have a brother," the man said and his heart stoped, he had another sibling, "Really?" he whispered wondering briefly if this baby was the last straw on his mothers back, the reason she'd divorced her husband when he and Serenity had been young.

"Yes Joey, an older brother, I believe you already know him," Mr Wheeler said watching his sons face, this would be so sweet, the moment of realisation, the second of horrified comprehension.

"Really dad, who?" Joey asked his mind flicking threw all the faces of people he knew.

"Kaiba Seto," his dad drawled and if you'd dropped a pin on the floor in that moment you'd have heard it in Australia, the silence so deep and complete that it seemed to scream as all his friends faces turned to him.

"What?" he managed to squeak out and sound came back in a rush, the hiss of the air conditioner, the rumble of traffic and the electric white noise that always seemed to fill the store.

"What are you deaf boy?" his dad asked slapping the right side of his head, hard enough to make a sound and turn his head, "I said that Seto is ya older brother,"

"And if his older brother see you lay a hand on him again you'll be lucky to have a shirt on your back," a deep voice came and they turned to see Mokuba and Seto standing in the door way, none having heard the door bell or its annoying twinkle.

"Kaiba?" Joey squeaked in shock as Seto glared daggers at the father that he'd never known, even going so far as to step in front of Mokuba, his posture screaming protective. His eyes blazing as he stared down at his absent father.

"Well, well, well, I didn't expect to see you again so soon…son," Mr Wheeler purred even as his eyes narrowed on the younger man that now Joey could see near his old man was very much alike physically.

The major difference, other than age and scars was their eyes, his fathers cold and hard while Setos burned and seemed liquid in a rare display of emotion.

"Big brother," Mokuba whispered and Seto held out his hand instantly not looking away from Mr Wheeler.

"If you're done, I surgiest _strongly_ that you leave," Seto nearly snarled at the man and Mr Wheeler jerked, rage covering his face his voice growling out, "Watch your tongue boy." "Watch who you threaten, now leave," Seto retorted and Joey stared as his father titled his head and walked to the door but not after whispering something at Seto who held himself very still his free hand balled into a fist.

**--**

"How are you my older brother?"Joey demanded in the lounge of the apartment above The Game Shop, Seto sitting in the only one seater with Mokuba curled at his feet, still pale from the encounter with his and Joeys father.

"Your father had sex and impregnated my mother, its really simple Wheeler," Seto replied his eyes troubled as Yugi brought in a tray of drinks, the only mug filled with hot black coffee with no sugar for Seto.

Murmuring his thanks to the small boy he sipped the hot brew and bit back grateful sigh as the scolding liquored hit his tongue, sliding along his palate, and Joey stared at the blunt teen and blinked. "Ew," was all he said and Mokuba looked offend snapping, "Don't you disrespect our mamma, she was a really beautiful woman!"

"With really bad taste," Joey said and Seto shook his head, "No, Wheeler, our mother, though pregnant with me didn't go to your father and demand what a lot of woman in her case would have. She told him to stay away from, from what your father told me she was rather adamant that he not contact her or me," he said.

"Oh, well then…what happens now?" Joey wondered and Seto took another sip of his coffee as Mokuba sipped his soda and the unicity of the movements was a little scary.

"You'll contact _me_ if he ever lays a hand on you in violence," Seto said and the disgust he felt about the abuse was evident in his voice.

"Why, I mean its not like you like me or nothen," Joey said shocked by the mans instant instruction meant for his protection.

"Whee…" Seto started then sighed before saying, "Joey, you should have notice that I have little to no social skills."

And when Joey frowned not understanding Mokuba said, "He means that he doesn't know how to have friends, he doesn't understand the concept of friendship nor how to gain it so he reacted instinctively. He lashed out because you, no matter your faults or indiscretions before hand, now have a large group of friends, a large group of loyal people that no matter the threat or promise or what the could gain by leaving your side won't because they believe in you."

"Huh? So your saying that all this time he's actually what…wanted to be our friend?" Joey asked his eyes wide as they took in the tense way Seto sat in his chair the calculated way he brought the mug of hot, steaming liquid to his mouth. The way Mokuba sat pressed into his side, one arm wrapped around his left leg, his small hand moving up and down in a gentle soothing, loving motion and it clicked.

Seto, Kaiba Seto was afraid of rejection, of making mistakes.

"Yes Joey, that's what that means," Mokuba said, "And just so you know you're the second person he's given a nickname to," as Seto free hand moved into his brothers unruly hair, stroking the stands between his fingers in a loving gesture. Also using the touch, the physical contact with his sibling to keep himself calm.

"Oh…so 'mutt' and 'puppy' are meant to be good things?" Joey asked dumbly and it was Seto who nodded slightly before Mokuba said, "Yep, mutt, in breeders terms is a dog of two or more breeds, your parents are of different ethnic back ground, thus making you a mutt. A puppy or pup is a young dog under a year old and dogs are known for their loyal and protective qualities."

"Huh, that's different," Joey said as Tristan blinked trying to take in every revelation about the billionaire. The things made him seem more human, more like them and it was hard to believe. Very hard.

Watching the scene from the far corner, Yami floating at his side he smiled, he'd always known the Seto wanted to be their friend, he'd just been hard pressed to admit it. A blush covering his cheeks as he glanced at the man; a man who happened to be his greatest crush.

His crush also happened to be his best friends' older half brother.

How confusing.


	3. Chapter 3

**Again I don't own nor am I affiliated with the writes, creators or artists of Yu-Gi-Oh! And gain no profit from this or any other fanfiction.**

**Family Matters:** Chapter Three: Family

To him family was everything, after losing his parents, almost losing Mokuba, having his 'fathers' family betray them and put them in that horrid orphanage and the 'training' Mr Kaiba had given him he knew that he would always treasure family. He did everything he could for Mokuba and Mokuba did everything he could for him and now he was going to do his best by Joey, because he wanted to be the best brother he could be.

Also he had a very…bad habit of being highly possessive of what he felt was his and he felt that Joey was now _his_ little brother, just as Mokuba was his _baby brother_ and Serenity was his little sister.

And these tendencies made he so angry, so _furious_ when not two days after he had come to have this knowledge of who his family was, when Joey came to school with an ugly black eye. Hi little brothers walk a little on the stiff side and what looked like a hand print around his neck.

An ugly, purple hand print about the size of his own hand…of their _fathers _hands.

"Joey!" he shouted as the teen walked past where he sat, his laptop open and eyes all over the yard turned to see why he was talking to the boy from the other side of the tracks. "Yeah? Wha?" Joey asked walking over as Yugi and Tristan, who were with him followed Yugi giving him a little wave and a shy smile.

Inclining his head in acknowledgment for their presence, still uneasy with their knowing he wanted to be their friend, just incredibly unsure of how to be it he looked at the bruises on his brothers face and demanded, "Who hit you?" his voice leaving no room for argument.

Shifting uncomfortably Joey looked away and said "Dad," knowing that Seto just wouldn't believe him if he lied and said he had gotten into a fight with some idiot.

"…You're coming home with me tonight, we'll go to…_his_ house after school and pick all your things up and you'll move in with Mokuba and me," Seto said as the bell went and he picked up his things putting them into his briefcase as they stared.

"Wha? What?" Joey asked baffled and Seto threw him a glare, "You. Are. Moving. In. With. Mokuba. And. I. Little. Brother," he said slowly, putting weight into each word.

Standing there like an idiot Joey just stared at him as if he had just spoken pig Latin and Mandarin at once, which he was capable of, speaking about 9 languages already though he had been speaking in plain Japanese.

"Get to class," Seto said shaking his head as he marched inside.

"Damn, yo0u get to move into Kaiba Mansion!" Tristain said his eyes wide and Yugi stared after Seto as if he were the only one in the world, a dazed look on his face.

"Ah…class, get to class, okay," Joey murmured his legs carrying him slowly, that had to have been one of the strangest moments of his life, after the whole, Kaiba-is-Your-Big-Brother thing that is.

**--**

Meeting Seto after school Joey squirmed with discomfort as they drove to his house, his dads house, Yugi on the opposite seat, Seto having let him come along after he had asked if the midget could come along. The drive was short, the limo stoping in front of the apartment complex that had seen better days, graffiti and boarded up windows standing out against the ugly grey of the concert stuff used to make the five story building.

"Here we are," Joey said nervously, praying that his, _their_, father wouldn't be home, or if he was passed out in his room. He really didn't want another beating, his ribs still ached and his right leg burned from the lacerations of the glass he had broken falling down, the little shards had cut into his skin, deep enough that it would take a while to heal.

The limo door opened and they pilled out, Yugi hanging back with Seto in the middle though the older boy wished he could go before his brother but since he didn't know the way thought best if he didn't.

And upon entering the CEO felt his stomach roll, gods it smelt fowl, as if someone had died and cat shit, the scent making feel light headed and queasy, "Which room?" he asked covering his discomfort. As Joey looked back at him and nodded at the stairs silently Yugi moved up closer to Seto unconscious of the silent plea for protection, his small face pale.

"Lead the way," Seto said and Joey took the stairs two at a time his brother and best friend moving up one at a time though swiftly, Yugi's eyes glued to the CEO's buttocks as he moved before him.

And soon enough they reached the door, the wall on the other side having dints and a smug of blood that looked rather fresh on it. Putting his hand on Joeys shoulder, Seto moved his little brother back and nocked then tried the door handle, the door un-surprisingly unlocked.

"Get your stuff," he ordered moving into the lounge and a curse came for the far room as Joey darted into the one closest.

"What the fuck is going on out here?" Mr Wheeler demanded coming to stand in the doorway, wearing nothing but a pair of old, stained white boxers that needed a wash bad.

"Joey, hurry up," Seto said staring down at his father, his blue eyes frosty and Yugi rubbed his arms, moving closer to Seto, hiding behind his larger frame as Yami asked, his voice floating through his mind.

**"Hikari, what is wrong? You are frightened,"**

"_**We're at Joeys', Seto's demanded that Joey move in with him when he came to school with a black eye and walking funny, you remember I told you,"**_

**"Is it Kaiba or his father that is frightening you?" **

**_"Mr Wheeler, I'm hiding behind Seto,"_ **

**"Good, stay there or go help Joey,"**

"I asked you a question boy, what the fuck is going on?" Mr Wheeler snarled his eyes nearly insane and Seto said his voice hard, "Joey is moving in with me," and Mr Wheeler raised his eye brows.

"What brought this on, I thought you hated you brother," he sneered as Joey stepped out with a napsac, a napsac that was hardly full.

"Your abuse," Seto said nodding at the door and Joey darted a look at his dad as he moved through it, Yugi following with Seto bringing up the rear, his back to their father.

"Don't fucken turn your back on me boy!" Mr Wheeler snarled rushing his eldest and Seto spun, his leg coming up for a high kick catching his dad in the solar plexus and the elder man grunted as he grabbed the foot.

"That'll smart lat'er," he said swinging the boy into the wall and Seto grunted, and as his foot was wrenched up he twisted catching his body on his hand as he kicked out with his other foot catching Mr Wheelers chin.

Staring Joey and Yugi watched as the older man fell and Seto back flipped then grabbed the older man by the hair and looked deep into the other mans eyes, "You touch me or Joey again and you'll pay. I'll take it easy on you for now, but you do something like that again and you will pray for death before it comes," he said with a small soft smile before letting go of his old man and turning his back on his left, Joey and Yugi following.

"Joey, would you like to join my mix martial arts classes?"


	4. Non Chapter

Dear Readers,

My most sincerest apologise, unfortunately my laptop, which holds all of my stories and half done chapters, has cracked a wobbly and is no longer working, so all chapters will be postponed and or shorter than originally planed due to this hiccup and for that I apologise.

Your Truly

Aghony


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